Edward Grieg "In the Cave of the Mountain King"
The name of the outstanding composer Edward Grieg is well known not only in his homeland in Norway, but also far beyond its borders. The works of the great maestro, which he composed in various genres, are very popular with classical music lovers around the world. However, among the rich creative heritage of Grieg there is one work that in the ranking of the most recognizable orchestral works confidently ranks first. We are talking about the brilliant creation of the composer called "In the Cave of the Mountain King", which he wrote as a musical illustration for the play of Henrik Ibsen "Peer Gynt". This symphonic miniature, which sounds for only two and a half minutes, is a real gem that truly includes a collection of masterpieces of musical art.
The history of the creation of the work of Edward Grieg "In the cave of the mountain king", as well as interesting facts and musical content, read on our page.
History of creation
The story of the play "In the cave of the mountain king" is inextricably linked with the creation By Edward Grieg music to the theatrical play of the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen "Per Gunt", the composing time of which fell on 1874 - 1975s.
In 1866, Edward, together with his future wife Nina Hagerup, left Copenhagen and settled for a long time in the capital of Norway, which at that time was called Christiania, and only in the early twentieth century was renamed Oslo. It was a forced relocation, as young people were tired of the pressure of relatives who opposed their marriage.
The creative period of the composer associated with Christiania, his biographers is designated as particularly fruitful. By 1874, Grieg became the author of the famous Piano Concerto, the first notebook of Lyric Pieces and the Second Violin Sonata. In addition to his work as a composer, Grieg was actively involved in the development of national culture. He inspired the opening of the Norwegian Academy of Music and promoted the founding of the Musical Society. Acting as a conductor, the composer promoted Scandinavian music. In the concert programs he included not only the works of such eminent masters as Mozart, Schumann and Sheet, but also young domestic music authors. The result of such a vigorous creative initiative was the appointment by the Norwegian government to Edward Grieg of a lifetime scholarship, which allowed him to leave the post of conductor in the Philharmonic Society and work without limitation with composer creativity.
While living in Christiania, Edward did not break contact with his outstanding friends: Bjørnstjern Bjørnson, Hans Christian Anderson and Henrik Ibsen. The poetic texts of these talented writers many times became the basis of Grieg's vocal works. So in January 1874, the composer from Ibsen received a letter in which the playwright asked to compose music for the theatrical production of his play "Peer Gynt". Grieg has long had a desire to create a national opera, the plot of which would have a story or saga, so this proposal was greeted with great enthusiasm.
The dramatic poem "Peer Gynt", causing considerable interest in Edward, had already enjoyed considerable popularity, so the composer feared that he would not just be able to cope with the task, so that the music would blend in well with the performance. Constantly keeping himself in tight frames and strictly following the copyright instructions for Grieg was difficult, as it did not correspond to his creative individuality. The writing of the work progressed slowly. In total, the creation of 28 musical numbers, which included the above-mentioned work "In the Cave of the Mountain King", took almost a year and a half from Grieg. Starting work in Christiania in early 1874, he finished it in April 1875 in Leipzig and immediately sent the completed score to the theater. The premiere performance "Peer Gynt" was shown in February 1876. Success exceeded all expectations. Ten years later, the play was first shown in Copenhagen, and then with the music of Grieg, she triumphantly walked on the stages of the theaters of major European cities. The composition "In the cave of the mountain king" in the play illustrates the sixth scene of Act II, when the main character enters the palace of the mountain king - Dovra grandfather. In the first part of the suite "Peer Gynt", which Grieg composed in 1888, the composition is the final play.
Interesting Facts
- Composition of Edward Grieg "In the cave of the mountain king" along with "Flight of the Bumblebee" ON. Rimsky-Korsakov and "Oh, fortune!" Carla Orff are the most recognizable classic works.
- The play "In the Cave of the Mountain King" quite often attracted the attention of musicians working in various musical genres. On the subject of the work made more than a dozen treatments, such as the popular American singer and songwriter Candice Knight composed the song to the music of the song. The song, performed by the British-American rock band "Rainbow", was included in the eighth, last album of the band "Stranger in Us All", released in 1995.
- It is believed that for the first time the jazz interpretation of the play "In the Cave of the Mountain King" was presented by the orchestra of Alvino Rey in 1941. Then American bass trombone player George Roberts recorded a jazz version of this piece in 1959, playing the melody on his bass trombone.
- The rock version of "In the Mountain King's Cave" can be heard by the British rock band "The Who", the American rock band "Savatage", the British rock band "Marillion", the American rock band "Kamelot", as well as the Dutch group "Epica" performing music in the style of symphonic metal
- Filmmakers also often insert the sound of the work in the soundtracks of their films. For example, D.V. Griffith in the film "The Birth of a Nation" (1915), Fritz Lang in "M - the city is looking for a murderer" (1931), Jerry Zucker - "Rat Race" (2001), Tim Burton - "Corpse of the Bride" (2005), Shaun Levy - "Night at the Museum-2" (2006), Michael Haneke - "Funny Games" (2007), Harry Winnick - "War of the Brides" (2009).
- The special popularity of the work of Edvard Grieg is also due to the fact that it is often used in commercials, video games and animated films.
Content
"In the cave of the mountain king" is a colorful play with a fabulous character in the play "Peer Gynt" illustrates the scene in which the protagonist enters the palace Dovre grandfather - ruler of the kingdom of the forest scum: witches, trolls, kobolds and leshi.
The work, written in the key of B minor, has a simple but peculiar structure based on the repeated repetition of one theme, the uncomplicated motif of which resembles an old Scottish tune. Each time the theme appears with new figurations accompanied, enhancing not only its quirkiness, but also the dynamics. All this corresponds to the image conceived by the composer: an unregulated dance of the mountain monsters, the increasing hubbub, eventually turning into the op.
The composition begins a mystical call hornsafter which the main topic on pianissimo is carried out bassoons, cello and double bassessounding in low text. Gradually wary and mysteriously - the fantastic sound is transformed and becomes more saturated. The melody goes into a higher register, as the violins and violas playing the pizzicato theme come to the forefront, and then they pass the baton to the oboes and clarinets. The pace gradually accelerates, the dynamics increases. Fussiness appears, which is introduced by shorter durations of actively varied accompaniments. All new and new instruments join the sound. It creates a sense of impending hurricane.
Such an intensive development leads to a climax in which the full orchestral composition impresses with the power of its sound. Special value in orchestration is attached to percussion instruments. They not only maintain a rhythmic basis, but also create a dynamic growth. The turbulent prestigious displays a swirling whirlwind in which the fantastic inhabitants of the "dark" kingdom spun.
Suddenly the sound of the orchestra abruptly interrupts. Melody tries to return a couple of times, but stubborn chords with fluttering forshlagami, sounding like the imperious orders of the cave lord, interrupt the coven of dark forces.
"In the cave of the mountain king"- this small but admirable work contributed to the world fame of its creator. It sounds so vivid and memorable that it can not leave anyone indifferent, so it is widely and successfully used in popular culture. all times are honored with such an honor.
Leave Your Comment